Display-rack.



W. WHITE.

DISPLAY RACK.

IUI-ll um m (Application fxled July 23. 1900. Renewed Dec. 9, 1901,)

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[rmi-nn lullin-lul :M -um BELL-JM Il THE NOITRIS PLTERS CO PAOTO-LITHD., WASH rum-704,151 A Patented july 8, 1902.

w. WHITE.

DISPLAY RACK.

Ju 23 19 e unnlnnlnmnunllumlmnmmmm' IHINIMHINIIIHMIIIIHMlllllmmmmill wwweauallnvmlmnl :UNITED STATES PATENT (DFFIC.

IVILLIAM WHITE, OF LAWRENCEBURG, TENNESSEE.

DISPLAY-RACK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 704,157, dated July 8, 1902.

Application led July 23,1900. Renewed December 9, 1901. Serial No. 85,273. (No model.)

To all 1071/072@ it may concern.'

Beit known that l, WILLIAM WHITE, a resident of Lawrenceburg, in the county ofLawrence and State of Tennessee, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Display-Racks; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descripltion of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improvement in display-racks, and more particularly to movable endless shelving, the object of the invention being to provide a device of the abovementioned character which will in proportion to the space it occupies accommodate an extremely large amount of goods and which can be readily operated to bring within easy reach of the operator any article on the rack.

Vith this object in view the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts, as will be more fully hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figures 1 and 1' are views illustrating my improvements. Fig. 2 is a detail view of one of the shelf-supporting links. modified form of my invention. Figs. 4 and 5 are views showing means forincluding the shelves.

A A represent standards secured to the floor, in which a revoluble shaft lis mounted, and B B represent brackets or hangers secured to the ceiling and each forming a bearing for the journals of sprocket-wheels 2. Sprocket-wheels 3 are secured to the shaft 1 near the ends thereof, and sprocket-chains 4 are mounted on the sprocket-wheels 2 and 3, and a hand-wheel 5 is secured to one end of shaft l for rotating the shaft and simultaneously moving the sprocket chains. Each sprocket chain is provided at intervals throughout its length with links 6, having on each side an outwardly-projecting lug 7, said lugs being made with alined holes to form bearings for trunnions 8 on end pieces 9, projecting upwardly from shelves 10, as many of said shelves being provided as the size of the goods to be supported will permit. In this form of my invention the sprocket-chains are Fig. 3 is a view of a disposed at an incline or angle to better display the goods. The shelves are adapted to support boxes containing the goods, or the goods without the boxes may be supported directly on the shelves, and it Will be seen that by simply turning the hand-wheel 5 any shelf can be brought into convenient reach of the operator, and hence the goods will be at all times convenient for easily and quickly exhibiting them to a purchaser.

Instead of constructing my improved device as above described I might make the same as shown in Fig. 3. In this form of my invention the rack is supported on a portable frame comprising parallel uprights 11, connected together at their upper ends byahorizontal bar 11a and secured at theirlower ends to a rectangular base 12. In this form of my invention I have shown the end of shaft 1 made angular to receive a crank 18 for turning the same, and I have also shown the receptacles 14 secured on the shelves and each shelf provided with a common closure 15 for all of the receptacles thereon. Each closure comprises an elongated plate provided at its ends near its inner edge with pivot-pins 16, mounted in bearings in the end pieces 9 to permit it to be swung back out of the way when it is desired to remove any of the contents of any one of the receptacles.

In handling some materials it is desirable, especially when the rack is mounted in an upright position, to incline the shelves to better displaythe stock, and to accomplish this I have devised the construction shown in Fig. 4. In this form of my invention each end piece 9 is made in its upper portion with a curved slot 17, in which is mounted athreaded trunnion 18 on the upper end of an arm 19, which latter is pivotally attached at its lower end to the lower end of the end piece 9, and the trunnion is provided on its threaded portion with a nut 20, adapted to be forced against the end piece to lock the trunnion in any position to which it may be moved, and it will be seen that by simply adjusting the position of the trunnions in the slot the angle of the shelf can be regulated to suit any stock.

If desired, strips 2l, having strengthening-braces 22, may be secured to the side edges of the shelves to support between them boxes of any description for holding goods to be exhibited.

My improved rack may be operated manually or be connected with and operated by any approved motor or engine to continuously rotate the same. This will be found especially desirable when the device is used in show-windows for the purpose of advertisement. It might also be rotated bya motor when used in stores and a suitable brake mechanism provided to stop the rack at any shelf desired. In fact, various other slight changes might be resorted to in the general form and arrangement ofthe several parts described without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, and hence I would have it understood that I do not wish to limit myself to the precise details set forth, but consider myself at liberty to make such slight changes and alterations as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a display-rack, the combination with upper and lower revoluble supports, the upper support disposed in a plane rearwardly of .the lower support, of a set of sprocketchains passing over said supports, shelves pivotally suspended from said chains so as to be disposed in different vertical planes and constantly in horizontal positions, said supports, chains and shelves constituting the entire display-rack whereby articles can be supiro-1,15*?

ported on each shelf without interference with the shelf next above and free access be had to shelves from the front of the rack and means connected with the lower revoluble su pport for operating the rack.

2. In a display-rack, the combination with a support, and means for raising, and lowering said support, of a broad shelf, vertical end pieces on said shelf having curved slots in their upper ends, arms pivotally connected to the lower ends of said end pieces, trun-V nions on said arms disposed in the slots, means for securing the trunnions in any portion of the slots and bearings in the movable support for said trunnions..

3. In a display-rack, the combination with a support, means for moving said support up and down, of a broad shelf, vertical end pieces on said shelf having curved slots in their upper ends, arms pivotally connected to the lower ends of said end pieces, trunnions on said arms disposed in the slots and screwthreaded throughout a portion of theirlength, nuts on the threaded portions of said trunnions to secure them in any portion of the slots and bearings in the movable su pport for said trunnions.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

VILLIAM WHITE.

lVitnesses:

J. H. HARVEY, W. B. MoADAMs. 

